Hanging Tree
by Jamie Legend
Summary: Levi thought he could change things simply because he was in love. / LevixPetra. Rated T for talk about sucide and that's a stronger TW for many. Viwer discretion is advised. /


Leaves rustled whenever the soft, summer breeze flew through them. Levi could almost see the moon through its thick branches, but only the tiniest hint of it. His grip around her tightened slightly and he could feel her soft skin against his, her breath tickling his skin, ever so lightly.

The tree was big, strong and it towered in the woods that surrounded their headquarters. It was a perfect place to meet up in secret. And that's exactly what Levi and Petra were doing. All cuddled up together, they sat against the tree, simply enjoying each other closeness. Her arm was draped over his stomach, and her face was nuzzled into the crook of his neck, while he had both of his arms around her, holding the smaller girl close to himself.

Usually, he'd never allow anyone to get this close to him, but Petra, his lovely Petra, had always been an absolute exception to the rule. Petra, with her kindness, smiles, and with all of her love – while more often than not, that sort of thing scared him, the small blonde girl was an exception. Petra was the only girl that Levi allowed to come near him, to cuddle up to him, to kiss him, to see all his faults and insecurities.

An explanation to that was unknown to him, and he was never really sure why, of all people, Petra would care for him. After all, he wasn't soft spoken, kind, or gentle. He was cold, disconnected and brutal.

But with her warmth, even if it was just for a short period, he didn't feel like that. He felt normal, he felt like he could live his life properly. Like he could one day leave the legion with her by his side, start a family despite his age, watch his kids grew, and grow old, wrinkly and ugly with her.

It wasn't only Petra that crept under his skin. It was his whole squad, his whole special ops squad, his friends, everyone was starting to get under his skin, and warm him up to feel alive and whole. Whole…

It's been so long since he felt whole, like a complete human being which was able to think, love, forgive and more than anything, a being that was able to feel.

With his squad, especially with Petra, Levi felt like he was human.

The breeze that flew through the woods became colder, so he gently pulled Petra closer to himself for warmth. Petra let out a tiny hum, and gently ran the tip of her nose along his neck, before she blinked her honey eyes to him. Her pretty face made him feel so lucky – not only was she so kind, and so batshit crazy to love him, but she was so pretty. From her hair, to her face, to her eyes, to her figure. Everything about her attracted him to crazy lengths.

To the lengths that he sacrificed the really tasty treats for her, the lengths where he would trudge into a forest just to meet her there. And the forest was a tricky one – thick trees, roots springing through the wet earth, just waiting for an idiot to trip over them.

"It's getting cold."

Petra opened her eyes to look at him since he was the first one to break the silence after a while, which he rarely did. After all, Levi usually liked just to hold her and stroke her back. And maybe kiss lots. Kissing Petra was really nice after all. He really liked kissing Petra.

"Is it? But I don't want to leave just yet." Her voice was soft and Levi could almost feel her words stroke along his skin, so he gave her a tiny nod, and laid his cheek against the top of her head, as he stroked her back softly. She was so cute..

"Then we won't." He said quietly and closed his eyes, simply enjoying her warmth that the closeness with her provided, both from her body warmth and emotional warmth. The emotional warmth that pooled over his cold and broken heart, mending it after seeing his family–

No, he refused to think about that as he pulled her close, almost over himself. She adjusted herself a little, to lay her head on his chest, one of her legs swung over his lap lazily. "Good.. I don't want to leave this spot."

Levi threaded his fingers slowly through her hair as he looked up, seeing a slit of the moon through the thick branches. He was quiet again, but Petra filled the sentence quickly enough. "Do you know what they call this tree?" She asked him quietly as she lightly stroked his side with the tips of her fingers.

"A big ass tree?"

Petra chuckled softly, the moving of her chest and shoulders slightly annoying, but he gripped her close to himself nevertheless.

"A hanging tree, Levi." She told him, glanced up at him. "Whenever in the city nearby some criminals were found guilty by trial and sentenced to death, they would be hanged here. The branches are pretty thick and strong..." Her voice trailed off towards the end of her explanation, before she looked back down the hill, her eyes getting lost in the forest.

"They hanged people here?" He asked, as he slowly ran his fingers down her back. There was a small shudder from her body as a response, ever so tiny.

Petra nodded and closed her hazel eyes. "Murderers, thieves.." She mumbled softly and buried her face in his chest. He never asked about her family, and why she only spoke about her father, so it might make sense.. Might make sense why she resented murders and thieves so much.

Maybe she resented him as well.

"... So, basically, this tree is known for killing people?"

Petra again replied with a nod. Her curled up state, her obvious discomfort and fear, made Levi simply nod. "Okay." He shifted them, so they were parted, which made her open her eyes in surprise as she watched him get up off the ground.

"W-Wait! Where are you going?" Her voice was trembling, and it almost echoed the fear that suddenly flooded her eyes. He glanced at her, and held her gaze for a few seconds before he reached out in his pocket and took out a small knife he carried with him. He threw the sheath of it on the ground, obviously not caring about it.

Then, he pressed he knife into the bark.

Petra's eyes widened as she watched him carve letters, their first initials, with a hard motion, his eyes fixated on the tree and his other hand pressed against it to give him leverage. He was never a man who had a lot of strength on point blank – or so she thought. He was so much stronger than she thought he was.

Once done he wiped the remains of the tree off his knife.

"This way it isn't a killer tree." He said simply as he bent over to pick up the sheath on his knife and slide it right back in. "It's a tree which will be remembered for everything but the hanging."

Petra got up as well, and Levi almost lost his footing at how strong and suddenly she crashed into him, hugging him so tight that his whole body ached. He didn't hesitate to hug her just as tight, to hold her close to himself, so he could feel her smaller body against his, to feel her warmth and her softness so close to him..

"Let's go back." She murmured into his skin, and Levi merely muttered as he took her hand gently to go back into the thick woods.

As they passed between the trees which were darker than before, Petra spoke up again. "I want to meet up with you there again."

Levi nodded and held her hand tightly. "I'll always meet you there."

/

Forests, many of them, are very old. So old, that the changes that happen in the heart of them are minuscule and almost unnoticeable. They are tiny and they rarely mattered. Yet in a world that is very unstable, changes were seen as horrible and scary.

That's why something unchanging as a forest was something that a lot of people treasured. Unchanging matter of things was what mattered the most in this cruel world. Those who tried to change things were often not burned by the fact that the world that resented changes. It would leave them broken hearted, sad and discouraged.

Some would even think of dying and escaping the world that hated changes.

A lonely figure approached a tree that was just as tall, with the branches that were just as thick, with a bark that still bore a reminder of a change that someone wanted to take.

His expression, his posture all resonated with the fact that he was cold. That he was mournful. That he was broken, sad shell of a man that once thought he had the world in his hand by simply being surrounded by love and affection from his friends, comrades, from the one he loved.

With all of it gone what was there for him?

He trudged all the way to the bark, holding a single piece of rope with him. Long, thick rope, with few splinters dancing out of the spinal cord of it. His grey eyes, which were slightly red at the corners, stared at the bark.

The letters of their names were still engraved there, in a poor attempt to make the tree that murdered into a tree that would stand tall as a reminder of a love that was so ridiculous, so strong, so wild, that it made his heart swell, his eyes water, and his composure waver.

He didn't regret it, as he threw the rope at the foot of the tree.

"A hanging tree?" He growled, his fists tightening. "Fine. Be that. Take another life." He approached the tree again and took the rope, his eyes glaring at the rope as if hoping to make it tighten and support his weight. So he could join the people he lost.

The people he cared for.

The people he loved.

The people who he would die for.

The leaves didn't rustle as a cold chill settled around the tree.


End file.
